


i don't wanna hide no more (what I found in you is so real)

by joonswig



Series: you ain't nobody (til you got somebody) [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Astrology, Coming Out, Established Relationship, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mark is a good boyfriend, basically mark is coming out to all of his friends and goes thru it but everyone supports him!!! wig, donghyuk is a good boyfriend, gbf mentions, mark goes thru it, mark is so in love it hurts we love canon events, theyre rly. cute ngl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 06:15:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16571213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joonswig/pseuds/joonswig
Summary: “I’m in love with you, babe,” he grins, pressing his lips to Donghyuk’s forehead for good measure.“Oh, God, oh, wig,” Donghyuk almost squeals. “That’s so cool, I always wanted you to do that! Do it again!”*Mark feels like it's time to be honest about how he feels, to himself, to Donghyuk and to his friends.





	i don't wanna hide no more (what I found in you is so real)

**Author's Note:**

> wig! i said in pt one how the sequel is coming and here i am, half a year later. oof. n e way. this is soft and all but there are mentions of coming out. i wanted to make this sth that shows different positive experiences with coming out which is a big part of the lives of lgbt people. keep in mind that there are elements of internalised homophobia, but mark is learning to overcome them and all of his friends r super supportive so thats nice. dreamies raised millions for the lgbt community. theres also a warning for granblue mentions, which is very stressful to some. 
> 
> thank u to my friends who read it and gave feedback, @watercolorcakes for beta-ing and helping with gbf content, wigs were snatched

 

**DONGHYUK**

 

It's been a week since their emotional reunion and Mark has flipped from the state of total resignation to his best self, flourishing with his boyfriend back. Early in the morning he gets up, the warm thought of Donghyuk, knowing he can see him again just as he did the day before following him out of bed. When he's eaten breakfast and dressed up, Mark leaves home. Basking in the August sunlight, he rushes to the boy’s house, his feet moving down the familiar path on autopilot despite the long break. Donghyuk likes to sleep in, so Mark gets in with the spare key under the flower pot on the front porch. His parents are nowhere to be seen, so he heads directly to the boy’s room, where he finds him dozing off, as he expected. He doesn't wake the younger up, instead relishing in his calm, comforting aura, taking a seat on the desk chair. 

 

Mark looks around the room, scanning at the pictures of them scattered on the walls and on Donghyuk’s shelves, just as he remembers them to be. He feels better knowing Donghyuk didn’t take them off, throw them away. He didn’t give up on Mark, on their relationship. The confidence he had was something Mark has come to understand only now, now that he has the boy, now that he is unafraid to love him. 

 

He smiles. He’s in love with Donghyuk.

 

The alarm doesn’t ring for another half-hour. He turns it off, climbs onto the bed and coaxes Donghyuk to wake up. He presses gentle kisses on his forehead, eyelids, jawline, until the blushing mess pushes him off, grumbling about Mark being “revolting”. They lie together for a while, time seeming to slow down for them to enjoy each other. 

 

When Donghyuk is up, less messy and more conscious, he and Mark lie on the living room couch, legs and arms tangled. They talk, kiss every once a while, find comfort in being together. Donghyuk wants to catch up on everything, which Mark can understand, but has no idea how to properly convey he spent the last few weeks crying, or sleeping, or crying himself to sleep, without Donghyuk spiralling into unjust guilt. 

 

“I didn't do much," he says. “I had to think about everything. Accept I like boys."

 

Donghyuk presses a soft peck to Mark's lips, “I'm really proud of you." 

 

His boyfriend’s hair is freshly-dyed auburn, which suits him - he finds it lovely when it reflects light, giving it a red, copper-like hue. Mark’s favourite colour is red, favourite element is fire. Donghyuk always blames it on Mark being a Leo, but he himself thinks it has something to do with how it’s the epitome of the younger. 

 

“Come to think of it, you’re my gay awakening," he says, making his boyfriend laugh.  

 

“I like that, my ego loves being well-fed,” Donghyuk smiles and Mark can't stop himself from kissing the boy. It hurts to pull away. 

 

“As much as it flatters me, you don't have to kiss me all the time," the younger teases, but quickly. 

 

“What if I want to?” Donghyuk groans.

 

“Oh, God, the grease, why do you have to be so greasy?”

 

“I can leave if you want me to.”

 

“No, stay. I don’t have anyone else to bully.”

 

“Or cuddle with,” Mark sniggers, pressing a kiss on the shell of the stubborn boy’s ear. 

 

“I wouldn’t think so highly of myself if I were you,” Donghyuk jokes, but the way he smiles at Mark is so loving, so warm, just like his hand, nestled on the back of his head, fingers playing with the hair, “I can call anyone else. I’ll have you know a lot of boys would die to be in your place.”

 

“Maybe,” Mark counters, “but it’s me you’re in love with.”

 

Donghyuk sighs dramatically in defeat, yet his voice is nothing but gentle, when he replies, “it is.”

 

Mark thinks, “we should tell the boys, soon. If you want, that is.”

 

Donghyuk’s eyes widen and he opens his mouth in surprise, “you wanna tell them?”

 

“Babe, I’m in love with you. Like, openly. We’re together now. I don’t wanna hide something this important to me from our friend…also I don’t think I’d be able to physically keep away from you, never again,” he shudders. 

 

Donghyuk nods, “okay. I agree. Before we talk about it more, though, tell me again.”

 

“Tell you what?”

 

“That you’re in love with me,” Mark laughs.

 

“I’m in love with you,” he says, his voice firm like never before.

 

“And call me babe again.”

 

“I’m in love with you, babe,” he grins, pressing his lips to Donghyuk’s forehead for good measure.

 

“Oh, God, oh, wig,” Donghyuk almost squeals. “That’s so cool, I always wanted you to do that! Do it again!”

 

“I love you  _ so much,  _ Sunshine,” Donghyuk visibly glows. Mark can’t imagine how he could have ever let go of him. 

 

“Okay, as much as I love that, and you, we should talk about this coming out thing.”

 

“What about it?” Mark asks, genuinely confused.

 

“Well, firstly, are you really ready?”

 

“We’re together, Hyuk, I can’t be ashamed of loving you,” Mark frowns, “like, look what happened last time. I don’t want us to go through it again, I just can’t.”

 

Donghyuk takes his hand, strokes the backside, “Mark, I’m not sure if you understand. I don’t expect you to come out, never have. That day I…” he sighs, “we both said things that we didn’t mean. But I never said I wanted you to tell everyone you like me…just, fuck how do I say it. I wanted you to be honest with me, with  _ yourself _ .”

 

“How can I be honest with myself when I’ll be pretending I’m not head over heels for you in front of our friends? Look, I know it’s hard. It will be hard and I’m panicking. But I thought it through. Had the whole summer to mope, thinking about this, how I should have done it. And, fuck, I really wanna tell them. Not just because of you. The thought of having to come back to that state of denial I was in? Highkey sucks. I wanna tell them just how much you mean to me.”

 

Donghyuk pouts a little and turns his head away, “I wish it wasn’t this hard. We don’t deserve this. No one does.”

 

“Hey, baby, we’ll push through,” Mark rubs circles on his back in a soothing manner, “it’s the worst, but we can do it. Plus, I don’t think any of our friends are homophobic. When I’m scared, I just visualise them being happy for us, like the good friends they are.”

 

“Jeno knows. About me, I mean,” Donghyuk admits, “he’s supportive.”

 

“How did you tell him?” Mark asks, out of curiosity, wanting to know how exactly it goes.

 

“So, when we…didn’t talk. He grew suspicious. And asked me what happened. So I told him I like you, but you didn’t like me back. Spared him the details, though. He was really nice, comforting. He even introduced me to his bi friend, for like, support. You gotta meet Yukhei, by the way. He’s great. He’s helped me a lot,” Donghyuk relaxes a little. 

 

“Okay, so Jeno is fine. Do  _ you  _ want to tell the others, though?” Mark asks. “We talked a lot about me, but you have to be okay with it, too. I want you to be comfortable.”

 

Donghyuk shakes his head, “honestly, I never wanted to hide it. I always wanted to tell them, but things would get a little bit complicated, with how I like you. It’s actually easier, now.”

 

Mark nods, “so, how do we tell them? Together? Draw who we tell?” Donghyuk giggles.

 

“Rock, paper, scissors, loser comes out to Chenle,” he suggests, jokingly. 

 

**JENO**

 

He wants out. Mark is frozen in spot, overcome with anxiety, terror, fear, everything.  _ Stupid _ , he chastises himself from before, so lightly agreeing to come out,  _ absolutely moronic. _ Now, with Donghyuk even a few feet away, Mark can’t seem to get hold of himself, because he’s Coming Out and he doesn’t know if he should. Donghyuk said Jeno is okay, but what if this time, he won’t be. 

 

_ “Sorry, you’ve passed the homo quota in our friend group,”  _ Jeno could say. He probably won’t, but it’s an option and that alone makes Mark shiver. What he fears the most is change, not wanting Jeno, or any one of his friends to treat him like he’s different. He’s always been gay, always in love with Donghyuk — he is still the same Mark. 

 

He hears the door open and takes a deep inhale, exhales slowly. He can hear the boys talking, as the footsteps grow louder.

 

“So, what’s the deal? Did something—Mark?!” 

 

“Hi, Jeno,” Mark waves awkwardly, stiff as a board. He relaxes a bit when Donghyuk moves from beside their friend to join him. 

 

“Didn’t see you all summer, bro! Missed you. So, I gather you made up?” Jeno asks, raising his eyebrow, but a smile on his face. 

 

“I’m gay!” Mark blurts out, out of nowhere and he sees Donghyuk biting his bottom lip, trying not to laugh. “Sorry that was awkward. Yeah, we made up. And I’m gay.”

 

“I figured that one by myself, but I appreciate the sentiment,” Jeno jokes, his face is so kind, warm, that Mark’s fear washes away in a second. 

 

“Yeah, Mark wanted to come out to you, properly. Also, we wanted to tell you we’re together,” Donghyuk continues, taking Mark’s hand and squeezing it, “I’ll leave you for a second, though, we’ve had the gay talk already.”

 

They sit down on the couch and only then Mark realises just what he’s done, “oh my fucking God…”

 

“Coming out is stressful, I’m proud of you,” Jeno assures, moving closer to give him a side hug.

 

“You’re the first person I’ve told, other than Hyuk, but—”

 

“But it’s different with you two,” Jeno finishes. “I’m thankful that you trust me enough. I’m really happy for you and Dukie, it’s so amazing. I love you two, so much.”

 

Mark is about to cry, but he swallows it down and grins instead, “thank you. For not. Being a prick.”

 

“It’s nothing you should thank me for, hyung,” he says, “I respect you. Everyone should. It’s common moral decency.”

 

“Yeah, but still. I was so scared. And you are so…good about it. It’s just a relief,” Mark confesses. 

 

“I can’t imagine how brave you had to be, dude, really. I’m so proud of you, you did well.”

 

“I screamed out that I’m gay in your face.”

 

“And I appreciate it,” Jeno smiles, “but honestly, though. It’s big. Like, very big. But like, so cool big. Especially you and Donghyuk. How is it going, by the way?”

 

“Radical, ugh, sorry, I’m stressed. It’s good. No, scratch that, amazing. I like him so much, Jeno, you can’t imagine.”

 

“I know,” he rubs Mark’s shoulder, “it shows. It always has.”

 

“Can I go full sappy on you?” The boy nods, “good, because it’s really been going so well. We spent the last week together just working through things? Catching up? Just being with each other and fuck, it’s so mind-blowing when I look at him and I know that we’re together. Like, so cool. He’s amazing, so fucking great, like when I’m with him it feels like I’m in a Disney movie, in like the euphoric ending when everything is just great. This summer was shit, not gonna lie, but like now? Wig.”

 

“You started saying wig, he’s rubbing off on you,” Jeno says, more endeared than amused. 

 

“Yeah,” Mark smiles, catching Donghyuk eavesdropping from the kitchen, “I’m in love with him, after all.”

 

**RENJUN**

 

What seems to surprise, or even terrify his boyfriend, is how calm and collected Mark is this time. No more frantic pacing around the house or wide, fear-streaken eyes. 

 

“Are you one-hundred percent sure you’re alright? We can put it away for now, I don’t mind,” Donghyuk says, with concern so genuine Mark laughs.

 

“It’s fine. Look at me, I’m normal.”

 

“You really aren’t, hyung, I think you’re in shock,” Donghyuk reasons, but Mark shakes his head.

 

“Look, I absolutely aced the last time. It was great. It felt so freeing to tell Jeno and now I know how to tell the rest it’s easy now,” Mark explains, but he sees that his boyfriend isn’t having it. 

 

“No, Mark, look — you’re riding off the high of your first coming out. Thankfully, a very successful one, God bless Jeno, But seriously. You seem like you’re not fully conscious. Don’t you wanna wait for a good moment? We really don’t have to rush it, bub, I’m worried about you…”

 

“There’s no good moment, Hyuk, I don’t think there’ll ever be. At least now, for whatever reason, I’m less stressed, so it will make it easier. If you wanna wait, it’s okay, I mean, it’s your thing, too, but on my part, I’d do it today, no worries,” he kisses Donghyuk shortly, pulling away when he hears the bell ring.

 

“You’re ready?” Donghyuk asks, one final time.

 

“Yes, you?”

 

Donghyuk nods, so Mark leaves him to let Renjun in. He opens the door and sees the boy standing outside, his arms crossed, with a stern expression on his face. 

 

“So,” Renjun starts, pushing his way inside past Mark, “you decided to finally reach out after  _ ten fucking years  _ of ignoring me, your best friend. Without an explanation, may I add. Oh, Donghyuk is here, too, another traitor.”

 

“Hello, Injunnie,” Donghyuk smiles.

 

“It’s Renjun to you. But honestly, guys, I was so worried. Why didn’t you two talk to me all summer, did I do something? Jeno said you need to do other things but wouldn’t specify, why does this idiot know and I don’t? Disgosting. Like, tea, you might have different things to do, but seriously, imagine ghosting me for the entire July, this is so humiliating!”

 

Mark’s earlier suave demeanour vanishes completely because Renjun can get hysterical when he’s wronged. His boyfriend, on the other hand seems unfazed.

 

“Renjun, sweetie, take a moment, get over yourself and please think of what’s happening. Why did Mark and I have you over,  _ together _ , to talk? What could it possibly be?” he says, taking a seat next to Mark on the couch. 

 

“Maybe both of you want to fucking apologise for being idiots, like Jesus Christ, how can you go do it—wait, oh fuck, wait, are you guys are coming out?” Renjun shifts immediately. “Oh, my God, I’m a complete moron, how did I not realise. I got prepared for this day, oh fuck. Anyways, you seem to have…something important to say, so please continue.”

 

Donghyuk turns to Mark, “you start?”

 

Mark opens his mouth but no words seem to be coming out. 

 

“Oh, my fucking God, you broke him, Injun,” Donghyuk sighs, “hey, it’s fine. He’s just a little upset with us, but it’s fine,  _ right, Renjun? _ ”

 

“Absolutely! Never been better! Now, tell me what you want to tell me, friends. Friends, who I love and cherish always, no matter any genetical predicaments society might not be very approving of. Which I am, by the way. Super approving. Really, continue,” Renjun assures and Mark feels a little safer.

 

“Donghyuk and I are, uh, dating,” he starts, unsure, “because I’m, well, gay. Sometimes.”

 

“I’m gay, too, most of the time,” Donghyuk confirms, lacing their fingers together. “We wanted to tell you that.”

 

“Okay, wig, this is amazing guys! I’m so happy and proud, thank you for trusting me! It’s so important and I’ll try to do everything to make you guys feel comfortable with it,” Renjun seems genuinely supportive. 

 

“Wait, you prepared?” Mark realises. “You knew about this?”

 

“Well, I’ve had my suspicions over the years. I mean Donghyuk is easy, we’re, like, connected, but with you I was always a little confused. I didn’t wanna assume anything, but dude, you really weren’t the most subtle about it,” Renjun explains. 

 

“Okay, so, wig, before you ask us anything, I guess we do owe you an explanation. So basically Marker and I were beefing this summer, because we kissed at some point and Mark was kinda in denial about it so, yeah. I was a mess and didn’t want to have to explain to you why. And from what he’s told me,” Donghyuk gestures at Mark, “he didn’t leave the house much.”

 

“Not really,” Mark confirms, “so, yeah, I’m sorry about not telling you, I should have at least called you or whatever, but it was hard.”

 

“Guys, wow, it’s okay, really. You’ve had it worse than me, I’m not in position to make this about myself, for once,” Renjun smiles, “can I ask a few things? I have a question list.”

 

“Shoot.”

 

“Are you both  _ gay  _ gay? Or like, bi, pan, whatever?”

 

“I’m gay, so is Marker,” Donghyuk says.

 

“Cool, wig. How did you get together?”

 

“We met by accident, a little over a month after the fight,” Mark spoke up, “and I started crying, apologised. Told him that I’ll do it right if he’ll let me.”

 

“And you let him?”

 

“Yeah,” Donghyuk beams, “haven’t regretted it since.” He pats Mark’s head. 

 

“Ugh, this is so soft, I can’t take it. I’m a bad bitch, this is  _ so _ out of my comfort zone. Jesus, okay, how exactly did you end up kissing that day, though?” 

 

“Oh, God, it’s so greasy,” Donghyuk grins, “he got his head out of his ass because I’m pretty, apparently.”

 

“You  _ are  _ pretty, what was I supposed to do?!” Mark whines, hiding his face in the crook of Donghyuk’s neck.

 

“Oh, God, this is so…Mark-like. The Mark jumped out,” Renjun says, “I swear, he’s so greasy…”

 

“Honestly,” Donghyuk agrees, “you should see him now that we’re dating, it’s like an oil tank spill.”

 

“Do you always have to bully me? Is that what you’re here for?” Mark grumbles, but melts when Donghyuk kisses his temple.

 

“Sorry,” Donghyuk says, “I love it, you know it. Love you.”

 

Renjun groans, “look, wig, I’m proud of you, love and support you a lot, whatever, but this is. Too much. You’re even worse than Mark hyung now,” he accuses Donghyuk. 

 

“Dude, I’ve had a crush on him for like, what, five years now? Let me live,” Donghyuk huffs, “also, you stressed him out so much. I will punch you in the nose if you do it again.”

 

Mark chuckles, giving Renjun a smug look of victory. Renjun scowls, but his eyes radiate mirth. It gets Mark wondering just how long their friends knew that Mark and Donghyuk liked each other.  _ Five years _ , Donghyuk said. It’s so long and he’s sorry he made his boyfriend wait so long. If he were honest, he’d loved Donghyuk from day one, it just took him a while to realise it. 

 

Donghyuk kisses him again, probably just to spite Renjun and laughs.

 

“Hyung, how exactly do you feel about Donghyuk?” 

 

Mark wondered how he could have been so blind, “I’m in love with him.”

 

**JAEMIN**

 

“How are you feeling this time?” Donghyuk asks. They’re sitting across the table in a cat café. Mark, Donghyuk and Jaemin love cats more than the world itself, so it was Donghyuk’s idea to ease the situation.  _ It’s brilliant,  _ reckons Mark, scratching behind a tabby kitten’s ear. As they hear the characteristic squeal, both of them give each other knowing looks.

 

“Here, Nana,” Jaemin notices them but refuses to move from the spot, awing at a cute calico cat playing at his feet. Mark would be annoyed but he can absolute relate so they let Jaemin have fun. 

 

“Hi, guys,” Jaemin greets them, a bundle of fur in his hands. “Where are the others?”

 

“It’s just us today. How have you been, Jaemin?” Donghyuk starts. 

 

“Good, you? Haven’t seen you two in so long! Why did you call up so suddenly?”

 

“I, no  _ we _ wanted to tell you something important,” Mark says. Donghyuk looks up proudly at him. 

 

“Wait, oh my sweet Jesus. Oh my holy wig…is it happening? Are you together?” Jaemin looks overjoyed. “I’ve been waiting for this the longest time, this is the best day of my life!”

 

“How does everyone know about this?” Mark asks Donghyuk, his voice incredulous. “Also, how are you more excited about this than us?”

 

“I guess we’re not exactly subtle,” Donghyuk suggests.

 

“Not at all,” Jaemin gushes, “gosh, it’s amazing! Are you like, coming out?”

 

“Yeah, one by one to each one of you,” Mark explains, “I’m gay, by the way. Not bi or anything. If you were wondering.”

 

“Cool! God, I’m so, so happy for you, I’m like, so hyper. I’ve been rooting for Mark this whole time,” Donghyuk gasps.

 

“Why do you hate me so much?”

 

“No, it’s just that Mark is destined to be hopeless. He’s a Leo after all. We are…incapable of some things, you know how it goes,” Donghyuk relaxes and agrees.

 

“How is it that you always find new ways of bullying me?” Mark questions.

 

“No, I always believed you’d overcome your Leo bullshit. It’s fine, we’re the second best sign, anyways,” Jaemin coaxes him. 

 

“I don’t get why you’re so obsessed with Arieses,” Donghyuk shakes his head in disapproval, “Leos are highkey the best sign, Aquarius next.”

 

“You’ve been saying that ever since you learned Mark—-”

 

“Okay! This is enough, I have to go to the bathroom and if you say anything more about me, I will call this one Aries we both know and spill some hot tea,” Donghyuk threatens, getting up. 

 

Once he’s gone, Jaemin turns to Mark, “he’s been in love with you for five years.”

 

“I know, he told me. Who’s the Aries?”

 

“None of your business. How is it though, dating him?”

 

“I don’t know how to properly convey it, but…it’s honestly everything. Like, it’s unbelievable, but he’s here and he loves me, despite all the shit I’ve put him through,” Mark sighs, guilt creeping up. “He’s stubborn and petty and bullies me whenever he gets the chance and I said that so many times like it’s something bad.”

 

“Isn’t it?”

 

“No, it’s Donghyuk. It’s who he is and maybe I’m weird but I love that. He’s my favourite person because he’s crazy, energetic and it makes  _ me _ feel so alive. Like I’m a new person when he’s with me. We understand each other so well. I hate having made him feel like he isn’t the person I care about the most in the world, when he is. He’s everything.”

 

Jaemin grins, clearly in favour of Mark ranting about all of the thousands, no, millions of thoughts and emotions that circle his brain, all centred around Donghyuk, Donghyuk,  _ Donghyuk. _

 

_ “ _ You two were always, I don’t know how to say it, different. Drawn to each other in a way, like soulmates,” he coos.  _ Soulmate _ , Mark thinks, he likes that one. Likes to think of his boyfriend as his soulmate. 

 

“Yeah, I’ve always loved him. Been in love with him, whatever. We’re soulmates,” Mark grins to himself, failing to realise that Donghyuk was back, listening to every word.

 

**JISUNG**

 

Donghyuk called Mark after the meeting with Jisung. He said that it went well. Mark told him he loves him and that he’s proud. Donghyuk laughed at him and said that he’s so glad Mark got Chenle. 

 

“He’s the Devil’s spawn,” he teases. “He’s Scorpio  _ and _ Sagittarius cusp. It should be illegal.”

 

“It can’t be that bad. I prepared an interactive presentation on homosexuality, so that he’s educated and engaged in the issue,” Mark says. “It has fun animations.”

 

“He’s sixteen, not five,” his boyfriend informs him.

 

“Haven’t noticed, really,” Mark said, “come over now?”

 

“And why should I?” Donghyuk feigns indifference.

 

“We can play board games and I’ll let you win and you’ll let me kiss you.”

 

“I’ll think about it,” Donghyuk replies and hangs up. 

 

He does come in the end, Mark’s favourite snacks in his hand, “Jisung says he still loves you a lot.”

 

“Tell Jisung I still love you a lot,” Mark counters and pulls him inside. 

 

**CHENLE**

 

Mark has been trying to come out for at least fifteen minutes now, but Chenle ignores any attempt of his, focused on his phone.

 

“What exactly are you doing?” Mark asks, defeatedly.

 

“There’s a story event right now,” Chenle doesn’t bother to spare Mark a glance, “so I’m just event raiding for the fiftieth time today, Grindblue Farmtasy, am I right?”

 

Mark thinks of a kitchen knife he could stab Chenle, and then himself, with. 

 

“The things I do for 2D boys, honestly,” he’s not done, “I really hope that I get something good from all the fucking tickets I’ll farm now, or I will cry. In before nine ‘R’ one ‘SR’.”

 

“I really don’t—”

 

“Same with the rings, but my parties have good overmasteries generally, so like, I won’t kill myself if I don’t. I do need to get some fucking charas, right here and right now—”

 

“Chenle!” Mark interrupts him, “can I please speak for one second?”

 

“Just one? Time is event tokens, hyung.”

 

“It’s short I promise,” he says, dropping the presentation idea, “just wanted to tell you Donghyuk and I are dating. We’re both gay and we wanted to let you know.”

 

“What the fuck?” Chenle looks shocked. “So all this time, you weren’t dating? This is rich! I have to tell my crew about it on Discord.”

 

“Dude, I…” Mark doesn’t know what to say, “so, I gather you’re okay with this?”

 

“Yeah, it’s normal, it’s twenty gayteen after all, everyone’s equal. But like seriously, I was sure you were together! JFL, NGL. Anyways, glad you’re dating and all, for real now, but I really gotta grind those tickets,” Chenle causes Mark to involuntarily smile. He hugs him despite the boy pushing him away so that he can play. 

 

He texts Donghyuk soon afterwards.

 

_ It went well. _

_ He thought we were dating, that is funny. _

 

_ do you have to text like a bot lol _

 

_ Yes. It is polite to keep up grammar conventions, even while texting. _

_ Punctuation is crucial for proper communication. _

 

_ dunno if i wanna break up with u or marry u on the spot _

 

_ I’d like it, if you chose the latter. _

 

_ you’re impossible _

_ gtg im meetin ykhei _

 

_ Bye, have fun, Babe! _

 

_ pls dont text me again _

  
  


Mark takes a moment to process everything that he’s done. He’s happy, so overjoyed it hurts. But what’s most important, he’s free and everyone loves him the way he is. He beams. Never did he expect anything to turn out the way it did, but everything seems to have happened for a reason, taught him a lesson. 

 

He wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

**MARK**

 

They’re lying on the couch again, watching Venom. Mark is barely paying attention, prefers to focus on adoring all the new little things he finds about Donghyuk, the nameless freckles and beauty marks. The boy points at the screen at some point. 

 

“God, I love Veddie. All those Veddie fanarts with Venom just clinging onto Eddie? Me when I see you.”

 

Mark’s world stops for a second, “I love it when you do it.”

 

“Yeah? How come?” Donghyuk jokes.

 

“I think I’m just in love with all of you,” he whispers, “I’m sorry I’m corny.”

 

“Can I tell you a secret?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Donghyuk pauses the movie and turns to face Mark, “you have to promise not to tell anyone.”

 

Mark nods, with a serious expression, “cross my heart.”

 

“I love it when you’re corny. I act like I don’t ‘cause I’m flustered and it’s the only thing I can ever think about,” Donghyuk confesses. 

 

Mark breaks into a grin, and he hugs the boy into his chest, “you’re a miracle, you know?”

 

“We both are,” Donghyuk’s muffled reply comes, “but only when we’re together. We belong together. Kind of like Veddie.”

 

Mark kisses him softly, feeling overwhelmed as if he were to cry, but there are no tears in his eyes, “you’re right, sunshine. We really do.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> hello again im on [tt](https://twitter.com/loonamono) we can always. have a chat or w/e  
> [buy me a ko-fi <3](http://ko-fi.com/joonswig)


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